Roma score twice in extra time to book Europa semi-final spot

ROME : Stephan El Shaarawy and Lorenzo Pellegrini scored in extra time to earn hosts AS Roma a spot in the Europa League semi-finals after defeating Dutch side Feyenoord 4-1 on Thursday for a 4-2 aggregate win.

El Shaarawy converted a cross from Tammy Abraham after 101 minutes and Pellegrini sealed the win seven minutes later when he slotted in a rebound from an Abraham shot.

After Feyenoord had won the quarter-final first leg 1-0, Roma pushed for the opening goal from the start, missing two great opportunities in the first 10 minutes.

On the hour mark, roars of relief erupted around the Stadio Olimpico when Leonardo Spinazzola took advantage of a deflection within the box to poke the ball into the bottom corner.

In the 80th minute, Igor Paixao headed in an equaliser for the visitors, unmarked inside the box from a cross by Sebastian Szymanski, only for Roma's Paulo Dybala to level the aggregate score one minute before stoppage time with a shot from a tricky angle.

Roma will meet Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-finals on May 11 and 18 after the German side knocked out Union Saint-Gilloise 5-2 on aggregate.